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# Hunting Rules

#### by Jerome Darmont

The copyright of this article remains with the original author. Articles may be copied or distributed freely for personal non-profit use, provided that the author is properly credited.

(Rules freely inspired from Pendragon)

Hunting, with war, was the predilection activity for nobles in the Middle-Ages. Here are a couple of suggestions for Storyguides willing to play a thrilling hunt, either with magi or companions.

A hunt takes place in four main steps. Each step lasts for about an hour, and may occur several times. Typically, a day hunting may last for 6 hours during winter, 8 hours during spring, and 10 hours during summer.

Step one: Looking for a prey

A Perception + Hunting (Tracking) simple roll is necessary to discover a track. The difficulty level varies, depending whether the area is well stocked with game or not. It is generally 6+. Another simple die is then rolled on the Prey Table to determine the nature of the game.

#### Prey Table

Roll | Prey | Chase Difficulty 1 | Fox | 12+
2-4 | Stag | 9+
5 | Wolf | 9+
6-7 | Boar | 6+
8 | Bear | 9+
9 | Great White Stag | 12+
0 | Special* | 15+

Step two: The track

Once the track is found, dogs are sent and hunters chase the game. A new Perception + Hunting (Tracking) roll is necessary. The difficulty level varies depending on the prey (see the Prey Table) and the terrain where the hunt is taking place (see the Terrain Modification Table). The result of this stress roll is interpreted by consulting the Chase Result Table.

#### Terrain Modification Table

Terrain | Difficulty Modifier Clear terrain, prairie | -2
Populated forest | -1
Forest | 0
Deep forest | +1
Hills | +1
Mountains* | Hunting is impossible
Swamp* | Hunting is impossible
Populated land* | -2
Hunters' mother country | -2
Rain | +2
Heavy rain | +5
Snow | +7
Thin layer of snow on the ground | -2
Thick layer of snow on the ground | +4
Wounded prey | -3

#### Chase Results Table

Roll success | Effective success Success by 5+ | The prey is cornered, proceed to step four.
Success | The chase goes on, get back to step two.
Failure | Obstacles prevent the hunters to carry on, proceed to step three.
Disaster | The track is lost, get back to step one.

Step three: Getting over the obstacles

Hunters are delayed by an obstacle they must get over before returning to the chase at step two (see the Obstacle Table). If the result of this stress roll is a failure, the track is lost and the hunt must start over at step one.

#### Obstacle Table

Simple die | Obstacle 1 | The hunters track the wrong animal. Roll again at +2 on the Prey Table.
2 | A tree has fallen on the path: Dexterity + Riding roll at 9+.
3 | A stream must be crossed: Dexterity + Riding roll at 6+.
4 | Birds take fly at the horse's feet: Dexterity + Riding roll at 9+.
5 | Strange noises frighten the horse: Dexterity + Riding roll at 6+.
6 | Thick bushes must be jumped over: Dexterity + Riding roll at 9+.
7 | Other hunters shout: Perception + Awareness roll at 9+.
8 | A nearly invisible ditch must be jumped over: Perception + Awareness roll at 6+.
9 | Dogs bark: Perception + Awareness roll at 9+.
0 | A horn rings: Perception + Attention roll at 6+.

Step four: The kill

Hunters are now close enough to attack the beast with the weapon of their choice. If the prey survives this first attack, a second attempt is possible while the game tries to escape. If the second attack fails, the beast manages to flee and the chase starts back at step two. Otherwise, if the prey is still alive, it fights to the death.

Useful abilities and spells:

- Martial abilities
- Awareness
- Area lore
- Animal handling
- Legend lore (Legendary animals)
- Riding
- Hunting
- Direction sense

Perception + Hunting (Tracking) rolls may be replaced by formulaic or spontaneous Intellego Animal spells which levels must be at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, when the roll difficulty level is respectively 3+, 6+, 9+, 12+, 15+.

- The Hunter's Lethal Arrow (PeAn 30), Ars Magica page 111
- Mastering the Unruly Beast (ReAn 25), Ars Magica page 112
- Cripple the Howling Wolf (PeAn 20), Ars Magica page 110
- Muto, Perdo or Rego Herbam spontaneous spells to get over the obstacles
- Vision of the Marauding Beast (InAn 15), Ars Magica page 108

Story hooks:

- A boar keeps harassing the Covenant grogs, rampaging the crops, and frightening the herds. A hunt is organized to get rid of it. It occurs (maybe too late…) that the beast is a Bjornaer magus. He owed a debt to an enemy Covenant. Until recently, the Bjornaer managed to not have to repay it to apathetic magi, but the loss of his mate put him in a state of utter melancholy, so that he eventually agreed to the wicked magi's plan and accepted to breach the Code for them (he actually wants to die) by attacking the characters. Of course, the characters' enemy provoked the Bjornaer's mate's fatal accident. They plan to push the characters to kill the Bjornaer, so that they can charge them for this infamous crime at the next Tribunal.

- A faerie from an Unseelie court is irritated because a neighbor the characters is hunting on his land. He joined the baron's court and does not miss a single hunt. Each time, he kills by surprise one of the knights who is isolated in the forest, by pretending to be a friend, a lady or a squire (he has the power to change his appearance). The baron is pretty upset all his best men disappear. He invites the characters to his great spring hunt. He tells them about the situation during the festivities and asks them to help him solving this mystery. Resolving it will certainly gain the magi a precious ally (the baron) and a heinous foe (the evil faerie).